Fukushima nuclear disaster

[Simon]

The nuclear mess over at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan never seems to end. Today the media is reporting that "record levels of radiation have been recorded at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant reactor". And these radiation levels are "fatal to humans":

Al Jazeera's Aela Callan, reporting from Japan's Ibaraki prefecture, said the level recorded was "fatal to humans" but that it was contained just to the plant's site. However, scientists are planning to carry out more tests on Tuesday.

"Authorities are working on the theory though that it has come from those initial hydrogen explosions that we've seen at the plant in the days after the earthquake and tsunami," she said.

"It is now looking more likely that this area has been this radioactive since the earthquake and tsunami but no one realised until now."

I am glad I am not one of these poor people who are working at cleaning up in and around the remains of that nuclear plant. A nuclear plant clean-up that Japanese officials thinks might take "several decades".

[NoNukes]

The Fukushima nuclear accident clearly shows that we cannot put our faith into nuclear energy. It's just too dangerous!

And don't get me started on the cleaning process. I just read that the Japanese government now have to pay nearly $26 billion to help TECPO with the cleaning process. Just unbelievable!

[Simon]

I just read that the Japanese government now have to pay nearly $26 billion to help TECPO with the cleaning process. Just unbelievable!

Yes, and it's worth noting that those money are public funds coming from the Japanese people. The Fukushima disaster shows one of the main arguments against nuclear power: When an accident happens at a nuclear plant the nuclear industry is unable to pay the huge sums that are involved in the clean-up and repairs. So basically the whole nuclear process, from its construction to its de-construction, is subsidized by taxpayers money. And yet the nuclear industry is able to profit huge sums from this dangerous and heavily subsidized energy form.

It's kind of like the economic crisis. Why is it that the profits are always private but we must pay the debts together?

[zararina]

The Fukushima nuclear accident clearly shows that we cannot put our faith into nuclear energy. It's just too dangerous!

And don't get me started on the cleaning process. I just read that the Japanese government now have to pay nearly $26 billion to help TECPO with the cleaning process. Just unbelievable!

I also think that no matter how modernized or advanced the nuclear power plants are, they are never safe when nature strikes back on us. Just like what happened in Japan, i guess no one had imagined that it will happen as they had good facilities and modern nuclear plants.

[NoNukes]

And the Japanese nuclear power plants are supposed to be the worlds most modern and safe reactors. I guess they aren't!!

[Estefani]

I hadn't read much about it. But it definitely worried me.

[Simon]

I also think that no matter how modernized or advanced the nuclear power plants are, they are never safe when nature strikes back on us. Just like what happened in Japan, i guess no one had imagined that it will happen as they had good facilities and modern nuclear plants.

Exactly! Even people in the nuclear industry knows this. In light of the Fukushima nuclear disaster the Italian nuclear engineer and safety expert Cesare Silvi explained why he left his former pro-nuclear stance for solar and other renewable energy sources:

“I soon came to the conclusion that neither international cooperation nor technological advancements would guarantee human societies to build and safely run nuclear reactors in all possible conditions on Earth (earthquakes, floods, droughts, tornadoes, wars, terrorism, climate change, tsunamis, pandemics, etc.). I am sadly reminded of this turning point in my life as I listen to the news about the earthquake, tsunami and extremely worrying nuclear crisis in Japan.”

[NoNukes]

Thats a good quote right there that speaks volumes about the nuclear energy mess!

“I soon came to the conclusion that neither international cooperation nor technological advancements would guarantee human societies to build and safely run nuclear reactors in all possible conditions on Earth (earthquakes, floods, droughts, tornadoes, wars, terrorism, climate change, tsunamis, pandemics, etc.). I am sadly reminded of this turning point in my life as I listen to the news about the earthquake, tsunami and extremely worrying nuclear crisis in Japan.”